Psalm 151 facts for kids
Psalm 151 is a short psalm that is a bit special because it's found in some versions of the Bible but not in others. It's in several very old Greek translations of the Bible, but not in the original Hebrew Bible. This has led to many discussions about whether it should be considered a true part of the Bible.
Psalm 151 and the Dead Sea Scrolls
People have known about Psalm 151 for a very long time. The Greek version was studied for hundreds of years. Then, when the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered and translated, a part of Psalm 151 was found among them. This was a big surprise to the researchers!
After more study, they realized something important. The person who translated the psalm into Greek had actually made a small mistake. They had combined two different parts of two different psalms into one. If you read the Greek version, you can see a change after the fifth line. The second part of the psalm sounds more like a story than a poem, which is what most other psalms are like.
What Psalm 151 is About
The Greek version of Psalm 151 says that King David wrote it. It tells the story of what happened after his famous battle with Goliath. The psalm talks about how David was the youngest and smallest of his brothers, but God still chose him to be king. It then describes how David killed Goliath with his slingshot and then cut off Goliath's head with Goliath's own sword.
Where Psalm 151 is Used Today
The Eastern Orthodox Church accepts Psalm 151 as part of their Bible. However, the Roman Catholic Church, most Protestant churches, and most Jewish people do not include it in their Bibles. Even so, you can sometimes find Psalm 151 in certain Catholic Bibles and in some other Bible translations, like the New Revised Standard Version.
